The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-09-10
PRICE, 5 GENTS.
MAN OF GREAT ABILITY.

Two mon who had just arrived ln the White Oak settlement" were speaking of some one named Tomp- kus, when an old fellow who had been standing mar advanced and said
 You air talkin' about young rohc Tompkins, reckon"
 "lcs," one of the men replied "Ap you acquainted with himg"
 Il reckon loughtcr be, whom he used l to be my stcpson, before his msmmv got divorcc rum me, like she ,lnn ] from hls father m married another lollcr. Tobe has got tho brightest mind q any man in this hcro coumu- uity. You may talk about Steve Parker that's gone to congress. an Ab loyncr, that belongs la the legis- latur, but Tube he's jest ,mchuliy got the mind.
 "Smart. Is he?"
 smart :, Wy, he jest naohully lays over any thing in this community an' when it comes to sense, wy, thar aIu't nobody In the state that kcn touch these here folks. Smart. wy, femme tell you, If Tobe nin't the gov her e this we're state baio' the next siA years tharll lc -lnthcrIn' sight O folks in this part q the country that will be Roin' round aSin' the r,asnn why. Smart wy, femme toll you what he done, lie had old ouc-eyed. stum. blin' sway back boss, n rope bridle m n saddle rm,io outcn shecp-akiu an some bar'l slaves. Tke folks laughed al him fur rIggin' up sieh n lny .out, but, never mind says he. Old Mars ter has made big room II, this herr community for tclIer to snatch up ability m swing it around by tho tail : an' gcntlcmrn, let me tell you thnt he done it He started out with that dIsgustin' rig, an' befo the end Q two week. he had as high steppin' Il hoss as you ever seed, a saddle that made noise like year.old baby a-cryin', an a bridle that looked purty enough to take hotter an chaw."
 He wns lurky." mid ono of thc 1 men
 !
 Lucky! Wy, 1 tell you that he's got the brightest mind in the state 1 Lucky! Step out in the road an make hoss. bridle nn' saddle. Smart -- wy, let ne tell you. He had fl ole ] COW that you couldn't squz morn ten drap. Q milk outen with cider press. What did hc dol Let her die on his hans like many a smart man woulder donsy No, sir. He started out, an' in less than week he came back driyin' great big fine COW that 1 laid the dust with milk as she walked"
 "Iie Is unqueatIonabiy skiiiiul l trader"
 "A skillftil trnder You have hearn O genius, reckon. Well, Tobe's q genius, a plum t-foo.ed genius"
 And you think he will bc gov ernor of thi. state, ch?"
 "Just as shore as you live this mint Wy, sir, femme tell you with his genius he ken take the office O justice . the peace an keep trsdin' fur fust one office an then another till the fust thing you know he'll land slam bang in the governors cheer. Smart Wy, sometime ago, befo' the folks ackBow ledged his genius, he fell In love with a gal so ugly that the green persimmons fell offen the trees as she went along the road. What did he do? Did he marry her? Well, no. He started out tradin,' an' now he's engaged to be married to the purtticst woman in the state. Oh, thar ain't hardly nothin' that's be- yond tine reach Q his ability. He's jest nschully bright, an as I say, fl he ain't the governor O this here state you ken skim the 'stonishment offen IA